Random Today Things...

We had a fun, busy weekend. Firstly, we got rid of the Audi and got a truck instead which, Lord willing, will be much more useful in the future, hopefully much more reliable and cheaper to fix since the parts for it aren't made in Europe AND I can drive it! The other car was a stick. Which I somewhat refuse to learn cause it stresses me out. And I didn't like the Audi very much anyhow. Trucks are so much cooler. Jack thinks it is awesome. He's obsessed with trucks, so to have one in his own garage is like Disneyland to him.

We spent the rest of the weekend project-ing a bit and running errands and being outside and going to our church picnic, finishing it all off with pizza on my parents' patio and Jack taking a quick dip in the "bath" aka their hot tub.

It's a lovely day today---70 degrees and sunny which is perfect for enjoying being outside. After Jack's nap and some errand-running, I'm hoping to go for a walk. I'm getting large enough that walking when it's too hot makes me feel like a giant sweaty panda and turns my feet red and vein-y, so I want to take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy a non-panda walk.

Jack is into "helping" with chores all of the sudden. He does this by sitting in the pile of dirt when I'm sweeping or grabbing the broom and flinging the pile back all over the kitchen. By taking the laundry out of the basket or putting all the silverware in the bottom of the dishwasher. His favorite chore though is vacuuming. He crawls beside and pushes the vacuum or tries to sit on it---which I remember thinking would be fun as a kid, but it turns out vacuums sadly don't move so great with children atop them. He's cute though. Hopefully pretty soon he'll catch on to more helpful methods of helping me. And then I can put him to work!

We started working on making our back porch nicer for Jack and I to use. We still have lots to do, but got it mostly cleaned up and made Jack a little portable sandbox out of an under bed tub, which is the perfect size and has the benefit of a lid to protect it from neighborhood cats. (Yuck.)

I can't wait to do more. We have a big deep and long covered porch across the back that is shaded all day and so is nice and cool for sitting on anytime! This morning after breakfast it was so nice and relaxing to put my feet up on our lounge chair and watch Jack dig in the sand.

I can just envision how great it will be for eating dinner and visiting with friends on in the future!

And now, to finish off this already wordy post with a short tale about me. I was just down switching the laundry when I saw a HUGE nasty spider, chilling in the utility sink. It was too far from the drain to drown. It was awkwardly in a corner that prevented the use of a shoe. It was larger than my personal size limit for using a tissue. (Which goes something like "is it bigger than an ant? Yes? Then no.") I need back-up.

I knocked on my brother's door. I got as far as "Could you do me a favor? There's a really, really..." when he said "I am not killing a spider for you in your own house. Be a grown up." I guess I should just be grateful he stopped with that and didn't react with his usual method during our childhood---picking it up and chasing me with it. I would still run. And scream. And my mommy isn't here to stop him.

So, what did this grown-up, mother of nearly two do? Trapped it under a glass of course. And for good measure and in case of escape, put a big jar that used to hold the dearly-departed cat's food over the glass. If I had another larger vessel I might have triple-layered it. The spider is that big and disturbing. I couldn't risk the kill. If it bit me I could die. If it touched me with one of it's many icky legs or heaven forbid, crawled on me, I could wish to die. I have children to live for. It was for the children.

My husband is going to be so proud of me when he gets home and finds the um, gift, I have waiting for him in the laundry room.

I'm really not a very good grown-up.

PS--I hope it doesn't manage to escape. Please pray. Thank you.